Avalanche Kisses
by: Daphne Li
Chapter 8.
~*~*~*~
Warmth. No worries in the world.
Joy. Overwhelming and deep.
Love. Forever, never-ending!
Her. His from now on.
Midnight blue eyes blinked open in the late morning light. A slight smile appeared on his lips as he remembered last night. The love confessions. The joy of her kisses. And everything else that happened after that...
A little-boy-like grin spread across the young man's face as his eyes found her precious face. She had fallen asleep with her head on his chest, her face turned towards him, while his arms twined around her waist. Her pale cheeks were flushed with sleep, her lips still rosy from his kisses, the slight smile of contentment on her face...she was all he wanted. All he had ever hoped for. Waking up in the morning to be greeted by her angelic face. A face that had haunted him and eluded him throughout his entire life...until now. And she was his to keep!
At this realization, joy and laughter welled up in his chest. She was his! HIS!!!
"Mine." Eriol whispered, stroking his love's cheek. Tomoyo stirred and a tiny moan escaped from her lips. The young man froze as her beautiful amethyst eyes flickered open and met his. For a moment, they simply searched his face, as though studying him.
"Good morning, tenshi." He whispered, his arms tightening around her waist. A smile appeared on her lips, and her amethyst eyes began to sparkle. Her tiny hand came up and gently brushed against his cheek, before curling its way behind his neck.
"Good morning." She whispered, her voice like a silver bell. Eriol shuddered with delight of it. Tomoyo's eyes wandered off his, and around their surroundings. Then her gaze fell on a familiar picture frame standing on his tiny bed-side table. Upon closer inspection, she saw that it now held a picture in it; a picture of her.
"You told me to put my most treasured picture in it, so I did." Came Eriol's soft, deep voice. Tears of rapture filled her eyes and she buried her face in his chest.
"You are a dear." She murmured, gently kissing his shoulder before meeting his eyes again. He smirked and pulled her up for a kiss.
*KNOCK, KNOCK*
"MASTER?! Tomoyo's missing! I can't find her anywhere!" Came a shrill scream from outside the bedroom door. Eriol groaned and pulled away from those enticing lips.
"I am sure she is around her somewhere, Nakuru. Why don't you go down and prepare breakfast?" He called back, wrapping his arms even more tightly around the girl he loved. She was holding back a giggle.
"I already have! You had better hurry! Your breakfast is getting cold, master!" Nakuru shouted, skipping away. Tomoyo smiled and pulled away from his hold as her voice faded. Eriol groaned.
"Do we have to get up?" He moaned, throwing his head back on the pillows. Tomoyo giggled as she wrapped one of his sheets around herself and got out of bed, much to his disappointment.
"Yes, we do. I am getting hungry." She laughed at his crestfallen face. He growled at her and lunged. She squealed, just managing to escape his grasp.
"Oh, no you don't! If you had your way, we would never leave!" She teased, reaching for the discarded dress she had worn last night, and smoothing it out affectionately. He smirked.
"You got that right!" He muttered, as she walked towards the door.
"Thank the Lord for locks!" Tomoyo stated, unlocking the door. Eriol knew that she was referring to Nakuru's intrusion. He grinned again and watched as she cautiously made sure no one was in the hall.
"See you at breakfast!" She whispered, leaving the room and shutting the door. Eriol's smile turned soft and warm as he looked at the closed door.
"You are mine now, tenshi, and I am not going to let you go." He murmured, getting out of bed and heading to the bathroom.
~*~*~*~
"TOMOYO!!! Where have you been?! Suppi and I looked all over for you!" Nakuru shrieked, as Tomoyo appeared in the dinning room half an hour later. Tomoyo worked to hold back her delighted laughter, and met Eriol's eyes. He was already seated in his chair, looking quite ruffled from all the questions Nakuru had thrown at him before her entrance.
"I was wandering around...somewhere." She said vaguely. Eriol choked on the sip of orange juice that he had just drank, and worked hard not to chuckle. Spinel watched their reactions with an amused look, while Nakuru simply ignored the obvious.
"Oh. Well, breakfast is getting cold! Hurry and eat!" The older girl cried, pushing Tomoyo into her chair before leaving the room. Spinel, however, settled himself on the table and gazed at the two of them.
"Did you have a good night, Eriol-sama?" He finally asked slyly. Eriol nearly choked again, and Tomoyo finally let her giggles out. Spinel looked at both of them contentedly, his large eyes sparkling.
"Erm...yes, I did..." For the first time ever, Spinel had the satisfaction of seeing his master blush. Tomoyo was blushing as well, but her giggles still trilled throughout the room.
"I did as well, Spinel. But you'd best not mention anything to Nakuru." Tomoyo said in a confidential whisper. The little guardian nodded and then got up to leave the room. Just then, a large gong-like sound broke through the quiet of the morning.
"I'LL GET IT!!!" Nakuru shrieked from somewhere upstairs. There was the pounding of footsteps on stairs, and then the sound of a lock being un- locked. Eriol, who had started to smile at Spinel, looked to his love with a look of dread. Tomoyo, however, was confused.
"What was that?"
"The doorbell." Eriol answered quietly, his voice filled with apprehension. Now Tomoyo's face fell. If that was the doorbell, then...
"ERIOL-SAMA!!! There is a policeman at the door for you!" Nakuru shouted, coming back into the room. Eriol rose with his face set, and left the room. Nakuru looked at Tomoyo, her face crestfallen. Tomoyo waited a moment, and then got up and followed Eriol to the front door. There, in the doorway, stood a tall policeman, talking earnestly with Eriol, who was trying to get a word in edgewise.
"She has raven black hair and amethyst eyes..."
"And she is right here." Tomoyo said, coming up behind Eriol. The policeman looked startled.
"Daidouji Tomoyo?"
"Yes, that is me." She murmured. Eriol had backed away into the shadows, his face emotionless. But inside, his stomach was writhing in sorrow.
"Thank the lord you're safe! Your mother has been frantic! I will need to take you to headquarters, to make sure you are all right and to call your mother, but then..."
"Excuse me, sir, but I think that I can get home on my own. The only thing I want you to do is inform my mother that I am well, before she has a conniption fit." Tomoyo interrupted. The man tried to argue, but Tomoyo stood firm.
"Mr. Hiiragizawa will make sure that I get home all right. I have some things that I need to pack, and some things to settle, and then I will be on my way to Japan." Tomoyo assured the man, before she gently shut the door. The policeman could be heard calling to her from outside the door, but Tomoyo paid no heed. Instead, she leaned against the door and buried her head in her hands.
"The pass is open." She whispered, tears coursing down her cheeks. Eriol came out of the shadows, his face finally revealing his inner battle.
"You have to go home, Tomoyo. Your mother is worried sick, and Sakura is too, I imagine. Besides. They need you there." He murmured, turning away. Tomoyo let out a moan and threw herself into his arms.
"I don't want to leave. I will miss you too much. Please, Eriol. Don't make me leave." She sobbed, as his arms surrounded her and held her close. He buried his face in her hair and racked his brain for some way out of this. Behind them, Spinel and Nakuru waited, their faces pinched and upset.
"You have to..." Eriol floundered, trying to hold in his own emotions. Tomoyo deserved the better than this, and he was determined that that was what she would have. Tomoyo whimpered and shook her head.
"Come with me, then." She whispered, turning pleading eyes towards him. He looked doubtful.
"I don't know..."
"Please Eriol. After all this...and after last night, I won't ever be able to live happily without you. Please come. Please?" She begged. Eriol clutched her tighter as she mentioned last night, and his lips caught her temple.
"Are you sure this is what you want? Your mother will know right away. So will Sakura. They can be very perceptive at times." He reminded her. A watery smile surfaced on her lips.
"I couldn't be more sure." Came her soft reply. Eriol groaned and proceeded to kiss her senseless. Behind them, Nakuru gave a shriek as she realized what was *really* going on, and Spinel gave a satisfied snort.
"About time!"
~*~*~*~
"Were going back to Japan! Were going back to Japan!" Nakuru chimed, as they boarded the plane the next day. Spinel, who was hiding in her hair, rolled his eyes.
"Wake me up when we get there!" He hissed to Eriol, who had walked on beside her, his arm around Tomoyo. Tomoyo giggled at the little creature's words, and then settled into her seat next to Eriol. She had insisted on the window seat, and he, being the nice, kind young man that he was, let her have it after a rousing game of 'Rock-Paper-Scissors'.
"I wonder how Rika's wedding went." Tomoyo mussed as the plane sped into the air. Eriol chuckled.
"It didn't happen. Everyone was too worried about you. They decided to cancel it until you were found or your body was recovered." Eriol winced at these last few words, and Tomoyo sighed, leaning her head against his shoulder. She realized that he had used his magic to find this out.
"If you hadn't been there, I would have been just a body for them to find." She whispered. Eriol smiled warmly and twined his arms around her. They were sitting in first class, with Nakuru and Spinel in the set of chairs behind them. Little did the couple know, Nakuru was taping the whole of their conversation, and silently squealing 'Kawaii!' every second.
"What are we going to tell everyone, when we get there?" Eriol finally spoke. Tomoyo looked thoughtful.
"The truth I suppose..." She said hesitantly. Eriol got a smug look on his face.
"In that case, I had better do this now, instead of later like I was planning." He whispered. Tomoyo frowned.
"What?" She asked, noticing the sparkle in his eyes. Eriol got up and right there, in the middle of the first-class isle, he got down on one knee.
"Daidouji Tomoyo. Will you marry me and make me the happiest man on the planet?" He asked, holding out a tiny box he had pulled from his pocket, containing a breathtakingly beautiful gold ring with tiny diamonds set into the circlet and a large diamond in the very center. Tomoyo gasped and tears of joy filled her eyes. Several other people who were sitting in first- class watched with smiles on their faces.
"Yes, Eriol. Of course I will!" She squealed, jumping into his arms. Eriol laughed outright and slipped the sparkling ring onto her finger. Everyone present clapped and a teenage boy, no older than sixteen even had enough gumption to whistle. Nakuru now had the camera in plain sight, taping them with vigor, while a smiling Spinel looked on through her hair. Eriol picked his fiancee up and sat down in his chair, with her on his lap. Tomoyo giggled delightedly at this, and placed several kisses on his lips, making him breathless.
"I love you, Tomoyo." He whispered. She grinned.
"And I love you, Mr. Wizard." She laughed.
~*~*~*~
Tomoyo shifted nervously as their plane landed, hours later. This would make it almost four and a half months since she had seen her mother or her old friends, and she was quite anxious to see them, but also a bit nervous.
"Tomoyo, calm down." Eriol whispered. Tomoyo glared at him and he chuckled, pulling her into his arms.
"I talked to the police this morning. They told me that they had not yet contacted your mother, because they still needed specific proof, besides words, that you were who you said you were. I don't think your mother will have any time to tell your friends that you are really alive, because she will be too busy smothering you with hugs." He joked. Tomoyo smiled a bit and relaxed into her love's arms. Behind them, Nakuru was hustling to put everything away that she had pulled out of her bag during the flight.
"Here we are." Eriol whispered, as the plane pulled into the gate. As soon as the 'Fasten Seat-Belt' light went off, he helped her out of her seat and grabbed their things. Tomoyo watched him struggle with their baggage and smiled.
"Do you need help, honey?" She asked softly, pulling one of her own bags out of his arms. He sent her a grateful look, and then thrust most of the others at Nakuru.
"These are yours." He muttered, before leading Tomoyo out of the plane. Nakuru pouted but grabbed the rest of the bags and hurried out behind them. As soon as Tomoyo got off the ramp, her eyes searched desperately for any sign of her mother.
"TOMOYO!!!" A voice shrieked. Tomoyo spun around to face the woman running pen-mill towards her.
"Mother!" She cried, throwing herself into the older woman's arms. Sonomi was sobbing, her arms tight about her daughter. Tomoyo was crying as well, as she realized just how worried her mother had been for her.
"Oh, my baby! I was so worried! They told me that you were dead..." Sonomi whimpered, clutching her child tight. Eriol and his guardians watched this exchange with smiles on their faces, and behind them, several camera-men from local news-channels watched through their cameras. Tomoyo looked over her mother's shoulder, and realized that Eriol was still standing, holding several of her bags.
"OH! How awful of me! Mother, I brought Eriol and Nakuru with me. They have been so kind to me over the past few months..." She trailed off, seeing the mischievous sparkle that came to Eriol's eyes. His gaze seemed to say, "kind, huh?". She giggled. Sonomi broke into a huge smile and reached out to shake Eriol's hand.
"I can never thank you enough, Eriol. You don't know what you have done for me." She murmured. Behind them, the camera-men taped this 'thank-you' with satisfied looks.
"Um, mother. I think that we should get out of the public eye." Tomoyo whispered to her mother. Sonomi smiled and nodded. They quickly followed her out to the limo and climbed in among many questions from the reporters.
"Now, you must tell me everything that happened while you were up there." Sonomi said as soon as they were safe in the limo. Tomoyo and Eriol glanced at each other, and then grinned.
"Well, for one thing, I gained something that I will never give up." Tomoyo said teasingly, as Eriol reddened. Her mother looked confused.
"And what is that, dear?" She questioned. This time, Eriol answered.
"Me. May I have permission to marry your daughter, Daidouji-sama?" He asked. Sonomi gasped and looked from one grinning face to the other, finally understanding why Eriol had *really* come. Then she smiled.
"Of course. I couldn't be more pleased!" She cried, clasping her hands in delight. Tomoyo giggled and snuggled into her fiancée's embrace.
"Mother, where are Sakura and Syaoran? I would have thought that they would be with you." She finally asked after several minutes of silence. Sonomi laughed softly.
"I didn't have any time to call them. When I got the call from the police, I hurried over to the airport as fast as this poor limo would go!" She answered.
"Obviously, the police let it slip to the media that you had gotten out safe and sound." Nakuru laughed, her eyes sparkling. The others laughed, but stayed silent, enjoying the ride.
~*~*~*~
"TOMOYO!!!!"
Tomoyo held her cell-phone away from her ear and grinned. Sakura must have seen the news, because she obviously knew that Tomoyo was home.
"Hi, Sakura! How have you been?" She asked in a cheerful voice. Sakura was silent for a moment, and then she burst into tears.
"Sakura?! Are you alright?" Tomoyo yelped, alarmed. Sakura sniffed and laughed softly.
"I'm fine, Tomoyo-chan. I was just so worried! Don't you ever do that again!" The auburn girl commanded, her voice full of joy. Tomoyo grinned.
"I won't, trust me! But Sakura, guess who I stayed with..."
"Eriol-kun, I know. I saw him on TV, grinning like an idiot. What did you do to him, Tomoyo?" Sakura asked. Tomoyo grinned.
"More like, what did I do with him." She mumbled, hoping her cousin hadn't heard. Unfortunately, she had.
"Tomoyo! What exactly happened up there?!" Sakura exclaimed. Tomoyo grinned.
"Sit down, it's a long story..."
~*~*~*~
Two days later, Tomoyo still hadn't seen any of her friends, besides Sakura and Syaoran, who had come over the day she had returned. In fact, none of them had even called. Tomoyo was not too worried about it, though...
*RING, RING!*
"Hello?"
"Tomoyo-chan? It's Sakura!"
"Oh! Hello! What's the matter?"
"Nothing. I just wanted to know if you and Eriol would like to meet Syaoran and I at the park for a picnic this afternoon."
"Um...hold on. I'll ask Eriol..."
"...It should be fine! What time do you want to meet us?"
"Twelve if possible."
"All right. See you then, Sakura-chan."
"Bye Tomoyo-chan!"
~*~*~*~
"Tomoyo, darling? Are you ready?" Eriol asked, coming into her room. Tomoyo smiled and finished putting her shoes on.
"All done!" She said in a child-like voice that made him laugh. He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her.
"Are you sure you want to go, my darling-tenshi-love?" He asked slyly, gently kissing her neck. She giggled and pulled away.
"Yes, I am sure! Now let's go! Sakura will be waiting for us!" She laughed, getting her purse and walking out the door. Eriol pouted and followed her. They walked silently, arm-in-arm to the park, occasionally snuggling together. When they got there, however, no one was in sight.
"Where are they?" Tomoyo mussed, searching for her friends. Eriol shrugged, looking part-confused, part-sly. There was silence, and then...
"SURPRISE! WELCOME BACK, TOMOYO!!!"
Tomoyo shrieked and turned to see all of her old friends and even her mother coming out of various hiding places. Tomoyo began to laugh and then yelped as Sonomi, Fujitaka, Sakura, Syaoran, Naoko, Chiharu, Yamazaki, Touya, Yukito, Rika, and even Terada-sensei...or Yoshi, as he was called now, showered her with hugs and kisses. Eriol laughed as he too, was smothered with hugs, but the two quickly pulled away, their eyes sparkling.
"Mother, you didn't tell them about..." Tomoyo paused while Sonomi shook her head.
"Then we will. Everyone, Tomoyo and I have a surprise for you!" Eriol exclaimed, as everybody quieted down and turned their attention to the two people. Eriol and Tomoyo smiled at each other.
"Everyone...Tomoyo and I are getting married."
For a moment, everyone stayed still, astonished by what they had just heard, then...
"OH MY KAMI-SAMA!!!"
"No way!!!"
"Congratulations!"
"NOT FAIR! Tomoyo, you didn't even tell me! I'm supposed to be your best friend!"
"Hiiragizawa, if you hurt her in any way, I will personally kill you."
"THAT IS WONDERFUL!"
"Did you know that proposals were originally started during the times of the Vikings?"
"Shut up, Yamazaki, you liar!"
"Um, Chiharu? I think that Yamazaki needs air. He is turning blue, and your hands around his neck are not helping..."
Tomoyo laughed at the reactions of her friends, while Eriol smirked at Syaoran's glare. Sakura's eyes were sparkling and Rika was clutching Yoshi's hand tightly, her face glowing. Beside them, Chiharu was patting a blue-faced Yamazaki on the back, and Naoko was watching them with an amused expression on her face.
"So how did this come about?" Syaoran finally asked, his frown deepening. Both Tomoyo and Eriol worked to hide their blushes.
"After spending over four months in a small solitary area, with only two little people (namely Spinel and Nakuru) to keep you entertained, you learn to pay attention to more things than you used to." Tomoyo said slyly. Eriol chuckled, while the others looked quite confused.
Boy, it was good to be home!
~*~*~*~
"So, Rika and Yoshi are having their wedding next week, and then Sakura and Syaoran are going to have theirs three weeks after. We want to be married before them...to spite Syaoran, of course, so ours will have to be the week after Rika's. Do you think that you could be prepared by then, darling?" Eriol asked, a soft chuckle escaping him. Tomoyo grinned and nodded.
"Sounds perfect. Nakuru and I have been working on my wedding dress, and Spinel has been helping with the decorations. You have no idea how artistic that little guy is. Perhaps we should bring him on our honeymoon as a reward..." At her words, Eriol blanched.
"NO POSSIBLE WAY! As much as I would love to reward him...that is our time, and I don't want a little creature to cut in on my time with my wife." He murmured, coming up behind her and putting his arms around her while he buried his nose in her hair. She was sitting at a desk in her room, surrounded by 'welcome home' gifts from her friends, while her soon-to-be husband stood behind her. Tomoyo looked in the mirror above her desk and smiled at him sweetly.
"Fine. No Spinel. But...I insist that we call him at least once a day to make sure Nakuru hasn't destroyed him." She laughed. He smiled back and gently stroked her cheek with his fingers. They still hadn't told her mother about what had really happened in those last few days at his home, and they weren't planning too, so Eriol had insisted on taking a separate room until their wedding day. Tomoyo had had no qualms with this, but she still missed having his arms around her at night.
"What would I do without you?" He whispered, lowering his lips and kissing her on the forehead. Tomoyo's smile widened.
"Go insane. Now get lost! I have to go over to Rika's to help her plan her wedding. Her wedding dress is almost done, and I just have to fix a few more things before it's perfect!" Tomoyo laughed, pulling her hair into a ponytail and then grabbing her purse. Eriol managed to snag a kiss before she rushed from the room.
"No, my dearest, loveliest tenshi, I would probably die without you." He murmured, walking over to her bed and throwing himself down on the pillows that smelled of lavender and vanilla, so much like his lovely fiancee.
~*~*~*~
"Congratulations!!!"
"Have fun tonight! Hehehehe!"
"Take lots of photos for me!"
"Don't forget to buy me something!"
"Did you know honeymoons were started in the time of the cavemen?"
"LIES, LIES, LIES!!!"
These were the comments as Yoshi and Rika Terada drove away in their limo, on the way to the airport where they would catch a plane to Hawaii for a week, then come back just in time for Tomoyo and Eriol's wedding. Hundreds of guests waved, cheered and yelled their goodbyes to the couple, even though they could no longer hear them.
"That was just beautiful! Wasn't it a wonderful that they wrote their own wedding vows? It was so romantic!" Naoko squealed, clutching her fiancee's arm. She had met a young doctor a few years ago, and they had become quick friends. By the start of this year, he had proposed, but they were delaying their wedding until the rush of their friends had dissipated. Beside them, Sakura laughed, holding onto her Syaoran's hand, while Tomoyo reached up to kiss her love.
"Everything is just wonderful, isn't it?" She whispered, happily burying her face in his fancy tux-coat. He chuckled and pulled her close, kissing her temple.
"Yes, Tomoyo-tenshi. We have been overly blessed, haven't we?" He laughed, as they began to file back into the church. She nodded and smiled. Then they contentedly walked back into the building.
~*~*~*~
by: Daphne Li
Chapter 8.
~*~*~*~
Warmth. No worries in the world.
Joy. Overwhelming and deep.
Love. Forever, never-ending!
Her. His from now on.
Midnight blue eyes blinked open in the late morning light. A slight smile appeared on his lips as he remembered last night. The love confessions. The joy of her kisses. And everything else that happened after that...
A little-boy-like grin spread across the young man's face as his eyes found her precious face. She had fallen asleep with her head on his chest, her face turned towards him, while his arms twined around her waist. Her pale cheeks were flushed with sleep, her lips still rosy from his kisses, the slight smile of contentment on her face...she was all he wanted. All he had ever hoped for. Waking up in the morning to be greeted by her angelic face. A face that had haunted him and eluded him throughout his entire life...until now. And she was his to keep!
At this realization, joy and laughter welled up in his chest. She was his! HIS!!!
"Mine." Eriol whispered, stroking his love's cheek. Tomoyo stirred and a tiny moan escaped from her lips. The young man froze as her beautiful amethyst eyes flickered open and met his. For a moment, they simply searched his face, as though studying him.
"Good morning, tenshi." He whispered, his arms tightening around her waist. A smile appeared on her lips, and her amethyst eyes began to sparkle. Her tiny hand came up and gently brushed against his cheek, before curling its way behind his neck.
"Good morning." She whispered, her voice like a silver bell. Eriol shuddered with delight of it. Tomoyo's eyes wandered off his, and around their surroundings. Then her gaze fell on a familiar picture frame standing on his tiny bed-side table. Upon closer inspection, she saw that it now held a picture in it; a picture of her.
"You told me to put my most treasured picture in it, so I did." Came Eriol's soft, deep voice. Tears of rapture filled her eyes and she buried her face in his chest.
"You are a dear." She murmured, gently kissing his shoulder before meeting his eyes again. He smirked and pulled her up for a kiss.
*KNOCK, KNOCK*
"MASTER?! Tomoyo's missing! I can't find her anywhere!" Came a shrill scream from outside the bedroom door. Eriol groaned and pulled away from those enticing lips.
"I am sure she is around her somewhere, Nakuru. Why don't you go down and prepare breakfast?" He called back, wrapping his arms even more tightly around the girl he loved. She was holding back a giggle.
"I already have! You had better hurry! Your breakfast is getting cold, master!" Nakuru shouted, skipping away. Tomoyo smiled and pulled away from his hold as her voice faded. Eriol groaned.
"Do we have to get up?" He moaned, throwing his head back on the pillows. Tomoyo giggled as she wrapped one of his sheets around herself and got out of bed, much to his disappointment.
"Yes, we do. I am getting hungry." She laughed at his crestfallen face. He growled at her and lunged. She squealed, just managing to escape his grasp.
"Oh, no you don't! If you had your way, we would never leave!" She teased, reaching for the discarded dress she had worn last night, and smoothing it out affectionately. He smirked.
"You got that right!" He muttered, as she walked towards the door.
"Thank the Lord for locks!" Tomoyo stated, unlocking the door. Eriol knew that she was referring to Nakuru's intrusion. He grinned again and watched as she cautiously made sure no one was in the hall.
"See you at breakfast!" She whispered, leaving the room and shutting the door. Eriol's smile turned soft and warm as he looked at the closed door.
"You are mine now, tenshi, and I am not going to let you go." He murmured, getting out of bed and heading to the bathroom.
~*~*~*~
"TOMOYO!!! Where have you been?! Suppi and I looked all over for you!" Nakuru shrieked, as Tomoyo appeared in the dinning room half an hour later. Tomoyo worked to hold back her delighted laughter, and met Eriol's eyes. He was already seated in his chair, looking quite ruffled from all the questions Nakuru had thrown at him before her entrance.
"I was wandering around...somewhere." She said vaguely. Eriol choked on the sip of orange juice that he had just drank, and worked hard not to chuckle. Spinel watched their reactions with an amused look, while Nakuru simply ignored the obvious.
"Oh. Well, breakfast is getting cold! Hurry and eat!" The older girl cried, pushing Tomoyo into her chair before leaving the room. Spinel, however, settled himself on the table and gazed at the two of them.
"Did you have a good night, Eriol-sama?" He finally asked slyly. Eriol nearly choked again, and Tomoyo finally let her giggles out. Spinel looked at both of them contentedly, his large eyes sparkling.
"Erm...yes, I did..." For the first time ever, Spinel had the satisfaction of seeing his master blush. Tomoyo was blushing as well, but her giggles still trilled throughout the room.
"I did as well, Spinel. But you'd best not mention anything to Nakuru." Tomoyo said in a confidential whisper. The little guardian nodded and then got up to leave the room. Just then, a large gong-like sound broke through the quiet of the morning.
"I'LL GET IT!!!" Nakuru shrieked from somewhere upstairs. There was the pounding of footsteps on stairs, and then the sound of a lock being un- locked. Eriol, who had started to smile at Spinel, looked to his love with a look of dread. Tomoyo, however, was confused.
"What was that?"
"The doorbell." Eriol answered quietly, his voice filled with apprehension. Now Tomoyo's face fell. If that was the doorbell, then...
"ERIOL-SAMA!!! There is a policeman at the door for you!" Nakuru shouted, coming back into the room. Eriol rose with his face set, and left the room. Nakuru looked at Tomoyo, her face crestfallen. Tomoyo waited a moment, and then got up and followed Eriol to the front door. There, in the doorway, stood a tall policeman, talking earnestly with Eriol, who was trying to get a word in edgewise.
"She has raven black hair and amethyst eyes..."
"And she is right here." Tomoyo said, coming up behind Eriol. The policeman looked startled.
"Daidouji Tomoyo?"
"Yes, that is me." She murmured. Eriol had backed away into the shadows, his face emotionless. But inside, his stomach was writhing in sorrow.
"Thank the lord you're safe! Your mother has been frantic! I will need to take you to headquarters, to make sure you are all right and to call your mother, but then..."
"Excuse me, sir, but I think that I can get home on my own. The only thing I want you to do is inform my mother that I am well, before she has a conniption fit." Tomoyo interrupted. The man tried to argue, but Tomoyo stood firm.
"Mr. Hiiragizawa will make sure that I get home all right. I have some things that I need to pack, and some things to settle, and then I will be on my way to Japan." Tomoyo assured the man, before she gently shut the door. The policeman could be heard calling to her from outside the door, but Tomoyo paid no heed. Instead, she leaned against the door and buried her head in her hands.
"The pass is open." She whispered, tears coursing down her cheeks. Eriol came out of the shadows, his face finally revealing his inner battle.
"You have to go home, Tomoyo. Your mother is worried sick, and Sakura is too, I imagine. Besides. They need you there." He murmured, turning away. Tomoyo let out a moan and threw herself into his arms.
"I don't want to leave. I will miss you too much. Please, Eriol. Don't make me leave." She sobbed, as his arms surrounded her and held her close. He buried his face in her hair and racked his brain for some way out of this. Behind them, Spinel and Nakuru waited, their faces pinched and upset.
"You have to..." Eriol floundered, trying to hold in his own emotions. Tomoyo deserved the better than this, and he was determined that that was what she would have. Tomoyo whimpered and shook her head.
"Come with me, then." She whispered, turning pleading eyes towards him. He looked doubtful.
"I don't know..."
"Please Eriol. After all this...and after last night, I won't ever be able to live happily without you. Please come. Please?" She begged. Eriol clutched her tighter as she mentioned last night, and his lips caught her temple.
"Are you sure this is what you want? Your mother will know right away. So will Sakura. They can be very perceptive at times." He reminded her. A watery smile surfaced on her lips.
"I couldn't be more sure." Came her soft reply. Eriol groaned and proceeded to kiss her senseless. Behind them, Nakuru gave a shriek as she realized what was *really* going on, and Spinel gave a satisfied snort.
"About time!"
~*~*~*~
"Were going back to Japan! Were going back to Japan!" Nakuru chimed, as they boarded the plane the next day. Spinel, who was hiding in her hair, rolled his eyes.
"Wake me up when we get there!" He hissed to Eriol, who had walked on beside her, his arm around Tomoyo. Tomoyo giggled at the little creature's words, and then settled into her seat next to Eriol. She had insisted on the window seat, and he, being the nice, kind young man that he was, let her have it after a rousing game of 'Rock-Paper-Scissors'.
"I wonder how Rika's wedding went." Tomoyo mussed as the plane sped into the air. Eriol chuckled.
"It didn't happen. Everyone was too worried about you. They decided to cancel it until you were found or your body was recovered." Eriol winced at these last few words, and Tomoyo sighed, leaning her head against his shoulder. She realized that he had used his magic to find this out.
"If you hadn't been there, I would have been just a body for them to find." She whispered. Eriol smiled warmly and twined his arms around her. They were sitting in first class, with Nakuru and Spinel in the set of chairs behind them. Little did the couple know, Nakuru was taping the whole of their conversation, and silently squealing 'Kawaii!' every second.
"What are we going to tell everyone, when we get there?" Eriol finally spoke. Tomoyo looked thoughtful.
"The truth I suppose..." She said hesitantly. Eriol got a smug look on his face.
"In that case, I had better do this now, instead of later like I was planning." He whispered. Tomoyo frowned.
"What?" She asked, noticing the sparkle in his eyes. Eriol got up and right there, in the middle of the first-class isle, he got down on one knee.
"Daidouji Tomoyo. Will you marry me and make me the happiest man on the planet?" He asked, holding out a tiny box he had pulled from his pocket, containing a breathtakingly beautiful gold ring with tiny diamonds set into the circlet and a large diamond in the very center. Tomoyo gasped and tears of joy filled her eyes. Several other people who were sitting in first- class watched with smiles on their faces.
"Yes, Eriol. Of course I will!" She squealed, jumping into his arms. Eriol laughed outright and slipped the sparkling ring onto her finger. Everyone present clapped and a teenage boy, no older than sixteen even had enough gumption to whistle. Nakuru now had the camera in plain sight, taping them with vigor, while a smiling Spinel looked on through her hair. Eriol picked his fiancee up and sat down in his chair, with her on his lap. Tomoyo giggled delightedly at this, and placed several kisses on his lips, making him breathless.
"I love you, Tomoyo." He whispered. She grinned.
"And I love you, Mr. Wizard." She laughed.
~*~*~*~
Tomoyo shifted nervously as their plane landed, hours later. This would make it almost four and a half months since she had seen her mother or her old friends, and she was quite anxious to see them, but also a bit nervous.
"Tomoyo, calm down." Eriol whispered. Tomoyo glared at him and he chuckled, pulling her into his arms.
"I talked to the police this morning. They told me that they had not yet contacted your mother, because they still needed specific proof, besides words, that you were who you said you were. I don't think your mother will have any time to tell your friends that you are really alive, because she will be too busy smothering you with hugs." He joked. Tomoyo smiled a bit and relaxed into her love's arms. Behind them, Nakuru was hustling to put everything away that she had pulled out of her bag during the flight.
"Here we are." Eriol whispered, as the plane pulled into the gate. As soon as the 'Fasten Seat-Belt' light went off, he helped her out of her seat and grabbed their things. Tomoyo watched him struggle with their baggage and smiled.
"Do you need help, honey?" She asked softly, pulling one of her own bags out of his arms. He sent her a grateful look, and then thrust most of the others at Nakuru.
"These are yours." He muttered, before leading Tomoyo out of the plane. Nakuru pouted but grabbed the rest of the bags and hurried out behind them. As soon as Tomoyo got off the ramp, her eyes searched desperately for any sign of her mother.
"TOMOYO!!!" A voice shrieked. Tomoyo spun around to face the woman running pen-mill towards her.
"Mother!" She cried, throwing herself into the older woman's arms. Sonomi was sobbing, her arms tight about her daughter. Tomoyo was crying as well, as she realized just how worried her mother had been for her.
"Oh, my baby! I was so worried! They told me that you were dead..." Sonomi whimpered, clutching her child tight. Eriol and his guardians watched this exchange with smiles on their faces, and behind them, several camera-men from local news-channels watched through their cameras. Tomoyo looked over her mother's shoulder, and realized that Eriol was still standing, holding several of her bags.
"OH! How awful of me! Mother, I brought Eriol and Nakuru with me. They have been so kind to me over the past few months..." She trailed off, seeing the mischievous sparkle that came to Eriol's eyes. His gaze seemed to say, "kind, huh?". She giggled. Sonomi broke into a huge smile and reached out to shake Eriol's hand.
"I can never thank you enough, Eriol. You don't know what you have done for me." She murmured. Behind them, the camera-men taped this 'thank-you' with satisfied looks.
"Um, mother. I think that we should get out of the public eye." Tomoyo whispered to her mother. Sonomi smiled and nodded. They quickly followed her out to the limo and climbed in among many questions from the reporters.
"Now, you must tell me everything that happened while you were up there." Sonomi said as soon as they were safe in the limo. Tomoyo and Eriol glanced at each other, and then grinned.
"Well, for one thing, I gained something that I will never give up." Tomoyo said teasingly, as Eriol reddened. Her mother looked confused.
"And what is that, dear?" She questioned. This time, Eriol answered.
"Me. May I have permission to marry your daughter, Daidouji-sama?" He asked. Sonomi gasped and looked from one grinning face to the other, finally understanding why Eriol had *really* come. Then she smiled.
"Of course. I couldn't be more pleased!" She cried, clasping her hands in delight. Tomoyo giggled and snuggled into her fiancée's embrace.
"Mother, where are Sakura and Syaoran? I would have thought that they would be with you." She finally asked after several minutes of silence. Sonomi laughed softly.
"I didn't have any time to call them. When I got the call from the police, I hurried over to the airport as fast as this poor limo would go!" She answered.
"Obviously, the police let it slip to the media that you had gotten out safe and sound." Nakuru laughed, her eyes sparkling. The others laughed, but stayed silent, enjoying the ride.
~*~*~*~
"TOMOYO!!!!"
Tomoyo held her cell-phone away from her ear and grinned. Sakura must have seen the news, because she obviously knew that Tomoyo was home.
"Hi, Sakura! How have you been?" She asked in a cheerful voice. Sakura was silent for a moment, and then she burst into tears.
"Sakura?! Are you alright?" Tomoyo yelped, alarmed. Sakura sniffed and laughed softly.
"I'm fine, Tomoyo-chan. I was just so worried! Don't you ever do that again!" The auburn girl commanded, her voice full of joy. Tomoyo grinned.
"I won't, trust me! But Sakura, guess who I stayed with..."
"Eriol-kun, I know. I saw him on TV, grinning like an idiot. What did you do to him, Tomoyo?" Sakura asked. Tomoyo grinned.
"More like, what did I do with him." She mumbled, hoping her cousin hadn't heard. Unfortunately, she had.
"Tomoyo! What exactly happened up there?!" Sakura exclaimed. Tomoyo grinned.
"Sit down, it's a long story..."
~*~*~*~
Two days later, Tomoyo still hadn't seen any of her friends, besides Sakura and Syaoran, who had come over the day she had returned. In fact, none of them had even called. Tomoyo was not too worried about it, though...
*RING, RING!*
"Hello?"
"Tomoyo-chan? It's Sakura!"
"Oh! Hello! What's the matter?"
"Nothing. I just wanted to know if you and Eriol would like to meet Syaoran and I at the park for a picnic this afternoon."
"Um...hold on. I'll ask Eriol..."
"...It should be fine! What time do you want to meet us?"
"Twelve if possible."
"All right. See you then, Sakura-chan."
"Bye Tomoyo-chan!"
~*~*~*~
"Tomoyo, darling? Are you ready?" Eriol asked, coming into her room. Tomoyo smiled and finished putting her shoes on.
"All done!" She said in a child-like voice that made him laugh. He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her.
"Are you sure you want to go, my darling-tenshi-love?" He asked slyly, gently kissing her neck. She giggled and pulled away.
"Yes, I am sure! Now let's go! Sakura will be waiting for us!" She laughed, getting her purse and walking out the door. Eriol pouted and followed her. They walked silently, arm-in-arm to the park, occasionally snuggling together. When they got there, however, no one was in sight.
"Where are they?" Tomoyo mussed, searching for her friends. Eriol shrugged, looking part-confused, part-sly. There was silence, and then...
"SURPRISE! WELCOME BACK, TOMOYO!!!"
Tomoyo shrieked and turned to see all of her old friends and even her mother coming out of various hiding places. Tomoyo began to laugh and then yelped as Sonomi, Fujitaka, Sakura, Syaoran, Naoko, Chiharu, Yamazaki, Touya, Yukito, Rika, and even Terada-sensei...or Yoshi, as he was called now, showered her with hugs and kisses. Eriol laughed as he too, was smothered with hugs, but the two quickly pulled away, their eyes sparkling.
"Mother, you didn't tell them about..." Tomoyo paused while Sonomi shook her head.
"Then we will. Everyone, Tomoyo and I have a surprise for you!" Eriol exclaimed, as everybody quieted down and turned their attention to the two people. Eriol and Tomoyo smiled at each other.
"Everyone...Tomoyo and I are getting married."
For a moment, everyone stayed still, astonished by what they had just heard, then...
"OH MY KAMI-SAMA!!!"
"No way!!!"
"Congratulations!"
"NOT FAIR! Tomoyo, you didn't even tell me! I'm supposed to be your best friend!"
"Hiiragizawa, if you hurt her in any way, I will personally kill you."
"THAT IS WONDERFUL!"
"Did you know that proposals were originally started during the times of the Vikings?"
"Shut up, Yamazaki, you liar!"
"Um, Chiharu? I think that Yamazaki needs air. He is turning blue, and your hands around his neck are not helping..."
Tomoyo laughed at the reactions of her friends, while Eriol smirked at Syaoran's glare. Sakura's eyes were sparkling and Rika was clutching Yoshi's hand tightly, her face glowing. Beside them, Chiharu was patting a blue-faced Yamazaki on the back, and Naoko was watching them with an amused expression on her face.
"So how did this come about?" Syaoran finally asked, his frown deepening. Both Tomoyo and Eriol worked to hide their blushes.
"After spending over four months in a small solitary area, with only two little people (namely Spinel and Nakuru) to keep you entertained, you learn to pay attention to more things than you used to." Tomoyo said slyly. Eriol chuckled, while the others looked quite confused.
Boy, it was good to be home!
~*~*~*~
"So, Rika and Yoshi are having their wedding next week, and then Sakura and Syaoran are going to have theirs three weeks after. We want to be married before them...to spite Syaoran, of course, so ours will have to be the week after Rika's. Do you think that you could be prepared by then, darling?" Eriol asked, a soft chuckle escaping him. Tomoyo grinned and nodded.
"Sounds perfect. Nakuru and I have been working on my wedding dress, and Spinel has been helping with the decorations. You have no idea how artistic that little guy is. Perhaps we should bring him on our honeymoon as a reward..." At her words, Eriol blanched.
"NO POSSIBLE WAY! As much as I would love to reward him...that is our time, and I don't want a little creature to cut in on my time with my wife." He murmured, coming up behind her and putting his arms around her while he buried his nose in her hair. She was sitting at a desk in her room, surrounded by 'welcome home' gifts from her friends, while her soon-to-be husband stood behind her. Tomoyo looked in the mirror above her desk and smiled at him sweetly.
"Fine. No Spinel. But...I insist that we call him at least once a day to make sure Nakuru hasn't destroyed him." She laughed. He smiled back and gently stroked her cheek with his fingers. They still hadn't told her mother about what had really happened in those last few days at his home, and they weren't planning too, so Eriol had insisted on taking a separate room until their wedding day. Tomoyo had had no qualms with this, but she still missed having his arms around her at night.
"What would I do without you?" He whispered, lowering his lips and kissing her on the forehead. Tomoyo's smile widened.
"Go insane. Now get lost! I have to go over to Rika's to help her plan her wedding. Her wedding dress is almost done, and I just have to fix a few more things before it's perfect!" Tomoyo laughed, pulling her hair into a ponytail and then grabbing her purse. Eriol managed to snag a kiss before she rushed from the room.
"No, my dearest, loveliest tenshi, I would probably die without you." He murmured, walking over to her bed and throwing himself down on the pillows that smelled of lavender and vanilla, so much like his lovely fiancee.
~*~*~*~
"Congratulations!!!"
"Have fun tonight! Hehehehe!"
"Take lots of photos for me!"
"Don't forget to buy me something!"
"Did you know honeymoons were started in the time of the cavemen?"
"LIES, LIES, LIES!!!"
These were the comments as Yoshi and Rika Terada drove away in their limo, on the way to the airport where they would catch a plane to Hawaii for a week, then come back just in time for Tomoyo and Eriol's wedding. Hundreds of guests waved, cheered and yelled their goodbyes to the couple, even though they could no longer hear them.
"That was just beautiful! Wasn't it a wonderful that they wrote their own wedding vows? It was so romantic!" Naoko squealed, clutching her fiancee's arm. She had met a young doctor a few years ago, and they had become quick friends. By the start of this year, he had proposed, but they were delaying their wedding until the rush of their friends had dissipated. Beside them, Sakura laughed, holding onto her Syaoran's hand, while Tomoyo reached up to kiss her love.
"Everything is just wonderful, isn't it?" She whispered, happily burying her face in his fancy tux-coat. He chuckled and pulled her close, kissing her temple.
"Yes, Tomoyo-tenshi. We have been overly blessed, haven't we?" He laughed, as they began to file back into the church. She nodded and smiled. Then they contentedly walked back into the building.
~*~*~*~
